Spontaneous occupation of Janskerkhof 15a also ends with police intervention (updated Thursday 9.30 am)

Update - Thursday 9.30 am

Around 11:30 p.m., police led the occupiers off via Booth Street. Police vans blocked the street. The protesters had walked into Booth Street and shouted to the police, "We are people, what are you. They also shouted that the university administration would have blood on its hands because of the eviction. 

Inside the building, according to police, were 40 activists who were taken away in a bus. According to the police, this was done without violence. 

The activists themselves write on instagram that the police used "extreme forms of violence. Shortly after the eviction, protesters continued to block the road so that the bus could not leave. The ME then intervened to clear the road.

Update - 10:25 pm

The police start to evacuate the building on the orders of the Public Prosecution Service. They enter the building through the back of Janskerkhof. The back entrance is also blocked with shoes and garbage bins. Protesters are standing by the front door and the back door, while others are blocking the street. They are chanting: "We are peaceful." It starts to rain heavily.

The back of the building at Janskerkhof 15a. Photo: DUB

Update 9:45 pm

After Anton Pijpers' attempts to negotiate with the occupiers fail, the police send two negotiators to the scene. Outside the building, they talk to a few negotiators. They are adamant about staying inside, the police tweets. Seeing that the occupiers had not left the building by 9:30 pm, Pijpers claims back the building together with the dean of the Faculty of Humanities, where many of the demonstrating teachers and students work and study. This means that they still have a chance to leave voluntarily.

UU President Anton Pijpers trying to negotiate with the occupiers. Photo: DUB

Update - 6:30 pm
UU President Anton Pijpers has arrived at the scene to talk to the people occupying Janskerkhof 13a. He is surprised by this third occupation, given that the university has just announced that it will re-examine its collaborations with Israeli universities. The university's position regarding the conflict has slightly changed as well. However, the demonstrators do not consider that enough as children are still dying in Gaza.

The protesters must leave the building by 7:00 pm, said Pijpers, but the protesters pay him no mind. A relatively small group of demonstrators is gathered in front of the building, in the rain, to support the occupiers. 

According to the university, lectures were happening when the occupiers entered the building. Both students and employees were asked to leave. Then, more occupiers came in and "forcefully" manoeuvred themselves past a security guard.

Janskerkhof 15a wordt bezet, foto DUB

About a hundred protesters came together this afternoon in front of UU's building at Janskerkhof to commemorate Nakba Day and protest against the university's policy regarding the conflict in Gaza. On a WhatsApp group, protesters expressed their discontent with the university's latest statement on the matter.

After walking towards the Utrecht University Building, at Dom Square, the group returned to Janskerkhof, where dozens of them decided to enter the building at Janskerkhof 15a, which is used for educational purposes. A spokesperson for the demonstrators said that this was a spontaneous action.

Nevertheless, a van supplied them with materials and a load of bricks was taken inside the building. "Brick by brick by wall the occupation has to go", they chanted. 

After half an hour, it seemed as though the occupiers were leaving the building, but some of them stayed inside and more materials were brought in.

The university's security is present at the building. UU is still waiting to see what is going to happen. The police haven't intervened yet.